𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐬 | 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐞𝐫𝐚

Chapter 22. Dueling Club ☾

"Okay, now on three. One...two...three." Lockhart counted. Professor Snape quickly disarmed him, throwing the man across the room. Hermione, Draco, and Harry cheered as the rest of the group applauded vigorously.

"Good job, Severus, but I must admit, I knew it was coming. I just wanted to show them how you disarm your opponent." Lockhart lied. "Now, enough demonstrating. Everyone should pair off. Harry, go with Mr. Finnegan, Mr. Malfoy with Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger with Miss Parkinson."

Draco leaned over to Hermione. "Kill her, please." He pleaded with her. Hermione sighed.

"We aren't full trained wizards, remember. We can only use disarming spells, anyway." Hermione reminded him. Draco looked put out, but nodded in understanding.

The Trio spent some time practicing disarming spells. No one mentioned how their partners never kept their wands in their hands.

Finnegan, when he recovered his wand, seemed more apt to attack Harry, rather than disarm him. Harry had to use Protego several times to protect himself fromRictumsempra and Tarantallegra. Professor Snape looked over at them and Harry saw the shock on his face when he realized a second year was using a blocking spell.

"Professor Lockhart, maybe we should teach the students how to block unfriendly spells, as well. It seems Mister Potter here has already figured it out. Why don't we have him show us the correct way to block a curse?" Professor Snape suggested. Professor Lockhart nodded vigorously.

"I agree. Mr. Potter seems just the right person to show us." Professor Lockhart agreed. "Mr. Weasley, would you like to come up here and duel the great Harry Potter?"

"I do not think Mr. Weasley knows enough spells to allow him to properly duel Mr. Potter. Any spell could end up hurting someone in the crowd, thanks to his broken wand." Professor Snape drawled. He then added, "Perhaps one of my Slytherins is better suited to the task. Might I suggest Mr. Zabini?"

"Of course, of course. Mr. Zabini, please come up to the platform. Mr. Potter, are you ready?"

"Scared, Potter?" Zabini asked Harry once they had both made it onto the platform.

"You wish." Harry replied. Draco looked hurt.

"Hey, that's my line." Draco whined. Hermione looked over at the blond.

"Would you like to go over and tell him so?" Hermione teased. Draco rolled his eyes and sighed.

Zabini and Harry raised their wands, pointing them in the direction of their opponent.

"Now, just do what I did, Mister Zabini." Lockhart instructed.

"What? Drop his wand?" Draco muttered, causing Hermione to giggle. Harry smirked, as he too had heard the jab.

"On the count of three. One...two...three." Lockhart counted.

"Go." Professor Snape interjected. Harry raised a protective shield.

First, Zabini tried to use Rictumsempra on Harry, but it only bounced off. Then, he used Tarantallegra but that also bounced off. Finally, he uttered that cursed word.

"Serpensortia." Zabini yelled. An angry snake shot out of his wand. The whole crowd gasped and some girls screamed in fear.

"Don't move, Mr. Potter," Professor Snape commanded strictly. Harry noted that Professor Snape seemed to be concerned, but he could hardly imagine why.

":Where am I?:" The snake hissed.

"Everybody stay calm." Harry yelled out. Then, he turned to the snake. ":Come to me.:" He demanded. The snake slithered over. Harry held out his hand and the snake wrapped itself around his arm.

":Where am I? Who are you? Why are you able to speak to me?:" The snake asked.

":I can speak Parseltongue. Don't ask why. It's too complicated.:" Harry explained. He continued. ":We are at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm Harry Potter. Who are you?:"

":I don't know my name.:" The snake hissed.

":Would you like me to give you a name?:" Harry asked. The snake nodded. Harry turned to Professor Snape, who looked dumbfounded.

"This snake does not want to hurt anyone. It's scared and doesn't know where it is." Harry explained. He turned to Draco. "Do you want him?"

Draco nodded excitedly. "Yes, of course."

Harry walked over and handed the snake to the blond. ":Don't hurt him. He's my friend, Draco. He'll be your owner.:" He looked to Draco. "What would you like to name him?"

Draco smirked. "Severus." Harry had to keep from laughing. He looked around and noted that everyone had cleared out of the room, including Professor Lockhart. He turned to Professor Snape.

"What happened?" Harry asked innocently. Professor Snape smirked.

"Fear of snakes tends to run rampant in children and DADA professors." He drawled. Harry laughed. Professor Snape turned serious for a moment. "Mister Potter, were you aware that you're a Parselmouth?" Harry smiled.

"Once, I accidently set a snake on my cousin, before I knew I had magic. I also trapped him in the snake pit." Harry admitted. Severus nodded.

"It is a rare gift. Don't let anyone tell you differently." Professor Snape encouraged. "You three should get back to your common room and figure out what you're going to do with..." He paused and smirked, "Severus, here."

Harry, Draco, and Hermione walked back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Draco was planning on where to get a proper cage for his new pet. Life was good.

That sentiment was short-lived, however, when that night Justin Finch-Fletchley was found petrified.

"It had to have been Potter. He's clearly the Heir of Slytherin, since he's a Parselmouth." Finnegan sneered. Harry sighed. He looked up to where he assumed Time and Fate were looking down at him.

"Was this really necessary? Did I need the whole school against me again?" He whispered. Hermione, who had heard him, shrugged.

"You did everything you could to help them realize that it wasn't you." Hermione told him.

"Well, you could have let Professor Snape take care of Severus so that no one knows you're a parselmouth." Draco suggested, playing with his pet who was wrapped around his arm.

Harry facepalmed as the got back to the common room. There they found Ron petting with Scabbers.

"Hiya, Harry. I can't believe you're a parselmouth! That's so cool!" Ron exclaimed. He gulped when he spotted Severus the snake. The trio sat down. Harry's eyes widened.

"Ron, can I see Scabbers for a second?" Harry asked. Ron shrugged and handed the rat over.

"He's not very impressive. Just sleeps all the time." Ron complained. Harry smirked and started to hand Pettigrew over to Draco.

"Here. Severus food." Harry said. Ron paled. Hermione hit Harry on the back of the head.

"No, Harry. Sirius needs him alive." Hermione reminded him. At that point, Pettigrew jumped out of Harry's hands and Severus slithered to follow him. Draco grabbed him quickly.

"Maybe we should go to the kitchens to get Severus some dinner." Draco suggested. Ron finally piped in.

"Yeah, Malfoy, keep that beast away from us." Ron commanded as he struggled to keep Scabbers calm.

"Alright, alright, Weasley. No need to get your wand in a twist." Draco said. The Trio got up and began to walk toward the kitchens. Draco began talking to the snake. "Now, Severus, that's a very bad thing to do, even if the rat deserves it. We need to keep people happy so they don't take you away from me." Harry smiled and eagerly translated for Draco. Severus agreed to play along, as long as he got some food. Harry promised he would get some soon.

Chapter End
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